Jessica Bateman Jessica Bateman is a national security professional and project leader with nearly a decade of experience managing complex, multi-million-dollar portfolios and advancing strategic initiatives across the U.S. nuclear security enterprise. Jessica currently serves as a Senior Program Analyst supporting the Nuclear Weapons Council, where she advises on deterrence priorities and coordinates decisions across multiple nuclear warhead modernization programs. For more than seven years, Jessica has supported the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration as a contractor, serving in roles spanning emergency preparedness and international cooperation with NATO forces; defense nuclear nonproliferation as a country manager for India, Ukraine, South Korea, amongst others; and now, nuclear deterrence and strategic modernization. She holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs, with a concentration in Foreign Policy and National Security Studies, from The George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Oregon. Timothy Bettis Timothy Bettis is a military attaché and Foreign Area Officer serving overseas with the U.S. Department of War. A defense strategist, diplomat, and public servant, he has more than 15 years of experience leading and designing security cooperation, counterterrorism, and interagency crisis response efforts across the Middle East and Europe, often in close coordination with key U.S. partners and allies. His interests include arms control, escalation management, force design, and grand strategy. Andrew Cartas Andrew Cartas is a nuclear engineer and science diplomat specializing in advanced reactor deployment, nonproliferation, and the nuclear fuel cycle. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, he develops strategic decision-support models in line with civilian nuclear power and stockpile equities. His early career spanned U.S. government service at the NNSA and Department of State, supporting nuclear material management and international nuclear energy cooperation. He then spent five years at the IAEA serving to accelerate the global deployment of small modular reactors. In 2023 he was among the first IAEA staff to rotate into Ukraine, assessing and reporting on the impact of active conflict on nuclear safety and security. He also serves as a Board Member of the International Youth Nuclear Congress, a non-profit spanning more than 50 countries. Andrew is a former AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow and holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida. Suzanne Claeys Suzanne Claeys is the Program Manager for MIT SSP’s Center for Nuclear Security Policy (CNSP). As Program Manager, she oversees day-to-day operations, coordinates Track 1.5 strategic dialogues with U.S. allies and partners, and conducts research on extended deterrence issues. Prior to joining CNSP, she was a Nuclear Deterrence Advisor in the Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy Office at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). In this position she managed the U.S.-Republic of Korea extended deterrence portfolio, oversaw the office’s response to Congressional requirements, and supported senior DoD officials’ Congressional testimony. She was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service for her time at DoD. Previously, Suzanne was an Associate Director and Associate Fellow at CSIS’s Project on Nuclear Issues. Suzanne holds a MA in Security Policy Studies from George Washington University and a BA in International Studies from American University. Decker Eveleth Decker Eveleth is a Research Analyst at the CNA Corporation, a nonprofit research and analysis organization based in Washington, D.C., where he works on projects related to nuclear policy and adversary force posture analysis. Eveleth has significant experience in open-source intelligence, and has published on Chinese, Russian, and North Korean force posture modernization. His writing has appeared in FPRI, Foreign Policy, The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, NK News, and Survival. A recipient of the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship, Eveleth holds a B.A. from Reed College and an M.A. from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Ashley Geleta Ashley Geleta is an International Project Manager at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), where she focuses on chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) counterproliferation and building partner capacity efforts. Her interest in securing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) first began while studying Biology at Franklin & Marshall College. In June 2017, she completed her Master’s in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases at Georgetown University and joined DTRA. Throughout her DTRA career, she has led threat reduction programs in over 11 countries, fielded novel medical countermeasures against pharmaceutical based agents, and served the DTRA Acting Director as a Special Assistant on the Director’s Action Group. Ms. Geleta’s academic work includes stints at the Center for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, supporting projects on radiological and nuclear trafficking, pandemic prevention, and emerging technology. In addition to PONI, Ms. Geleta is a current fellow at the Arms Control Negotiation Academy, a graduate student at the Naval War College, and a graduate of the National Defense University’s Program for Emerging Leaders. Karen Haxton Karen Haxton is a defense policy specialist supporting an Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War client as a Nuclear Weapons Council Staff member. Her expertise is in nuclear stockpile management, strategic deterrence, congressional communications, and U.S. nuclear history. Karen holds a B.A in History, an M.A. in International Affairs, and an M.S. in Criminal Justice. Prior to her current role, she built broad national security experience across the U.S. government, serving in a variety of roles at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Andrea Howard Andrea Howard is an active-duty Navy Lieutenant Commander, a career submariner, and the Navy’s 2025 Arthur S. Moreau Scholar—pursuing a PhD in Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research examines the modernization of nuclear arsenals and comparative survivability. Across a decade in the Silent Service, she served aboard USS OHIO (SSGN 726) and then as the Navigator and Operations Officer of USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) and USS SOUTH DAKOTA (SSN 790). Andrea is a current Council on Foreign Relations Term Member, received the Navy’s 2023 CAPT Joy Bright Hancock Leadership Award, served on the U.S. Naval Institute Editorial Board, and publishes in Proceedings, War on the Rocks, and Foreign Policy. A Marshall Scholar and 2015 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, she holds degrees with distinction from the University of Oxford and King’s College London. Kyle Isenberg Kyle Isenberg serves as a Policy Analyst in NNSA’s Stockpile Services Division (NA-122.1), directing interagency nuclear stockpile data reconciliation, database modernization, and Special Nuclear Material accountability policy. A 15-year U.S. Air Force veteran, Kyle managed comprehensive maintenance portfolios for strategic special weapons systems, led global logistics redistribution programs, coordinated NATO standardization initiatives in Europe, and directed operational and training strategy for the nuclear field’s largest squadron. His expertise spans Phase 6.X lifecycle management, multi-million-dollar program baselines, and joint-agency governance across the DoD, DOE, and NNSA. Kyle excels at translating complex technical operations into strategic national security policy and executive-level briefs. He holds a B.S. in Technical Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an Associate of Arts in Munitions Systems Technology, and a Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification. Siho Jang Siho Jang is a nuclear engineer and defense practitioner specializing in nuclear weapons verification, arms control implementation, WMD inspection planning, and nuclear security policy. His current work focuses on translating technical nuclear issues into practical concepts for verification, deterrence, assurance, and risk reduction. In late 2026, he is scheduled to assume responsibilities related to tailored extended deterrence policy. He earned his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Seoul National University, where his research focused on inverse source-term estimation using environmental monitoring data, ensemble-based methods, and Monte Carlo analysis. His professional interests include nuclear verification, extended deterrence, allied assurance, arms control, and practical approaches to reducing nuclear risks in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Annika Kastetter Annika Kastetter is a Planner for the Department of the Navy (DON), where she supports the development of complex, multi-equity plans to protect DON technologies and enable the integration of DON capabilities into ongoing and future service strategies, operations, and plans. Prior to entering civil service, Annika served as a Policy Analyst supporting stakeholders across the nuclear enterprise and as an Operations Specialist supporting the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Intelligence and Security. Annika holds an M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College. Edwin Kindler Edwin Kindler is a Senior Legislative Assistant in the office of Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11), covering nuclear security, artificial intelligence, science, technology, and energy issues for the Congressman. Prior to joining the office as a Nuclear Security Working Group Fellow, Edwin held roles at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and Healthcare Ready. He holds a master’s degree from King’s College London in Non-Proliferation and International Security, and a B.S. in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University. He was a member of the Nuclear Scholars Initiative Class of 2023, and the PONI Congressional Fellowship Class of 2026. Patrick Lowry Patrick Lowry is currently a Strategy and Delivery Lead at the UK AI Security Institute, working on the evaluation of frontier AI systems. He has extensive experience within the UK Government across engineering, policy, and diplomacy. His interests sit at the intersection of emerging technology and deterrence, including its impact on escalation management, deterrence communications, and strategic stability. He holds a Master’s in Engineering and is undertaking further postgraduate study in emerging technology. Kyle Mackay Kyle Mackay is the Primary Physics Lead of the W87-1 Modification Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). In this role, he coordinates engagement between design engineers and physicists, performs physics assessments to advance primary design, and works with production agencies across the country. Recently, he supported the milestone of the first production unit plutonium pit for the W87-1 at Los Alamos National Lab. As campaign lead for hydrodynamic tests, he directs the design and execution of integrated weapon experiments that supply vital data for stockpile certification. In his spare time, Kyle develops advanced simulation models on new computing systems such as the El Capitan supercomputer. Before shifting focus to support nuclear modernization, Kyle was a postdoc at LLNL where he provided physics support for experiments at the National Ignition Facility and OMEGA laser. Kyle holds a PhD in Mechanical Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Nikita Mann Nikita Mann is a senior policy analyst on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for Chairman James E. Risch, specializing in foreign military sales, defense exports, security assistance, arms control, and civil nuclear cooperation. Prior to her current role, she worked in the U.S. Senate as a Military Legislative Assistant for a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Previously, she served in the Pentagon as a special assistant focused on U.S.-China policy and worked in the U.S. House of Representatives on defense and national security. Nikita holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs: U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security from American University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Politics from the Pennsylvania State University. She has experience living and studying abroad in China and is proficient in Mandarin Chinese, as well as Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu. Ian Merritt Ian Merritt is the Legislative Director and National Security Advisor for Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Chairman of the House Energy & Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee. His focus is on the Chairman’s work on appropriations, defense, energy, and foreign affairs. Prior to this role, he served as an intelligence officer at the Department of Defense. His first stint on Capitol Hill started with a fellowship through the Nuclear Security Working Group for Representative Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01), followed by serving as his military legislative assistant. Before that, he was a senior research assistant at the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, where he contributed to research on regional geopolitical competition, military assessments, and counterterrorism strategy. Mr. Merritt has a M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a B.A. in European History from the University of San Francisco. He is originally from Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area. Monica Montgomery Monica Montgomery is a Policy Analyst in the Office of Nuclear Incident Response at the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. In this role, she coordinates with other NNSA offices, interagency elements, and international partners on plans and policies related to the Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST), particularly in the realm of P3 Nuclear Threat Reduction cooperation and national-level nuclear counterterrorism and incident response policy. She previously served as a Foreign Affairs Officer covering multilateral nuclear affairs at the U.S. Department of State, as a Policy Advisor for the National Security Council’s Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation Directorate, and as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability. Prior to joining the State Department, she held positions at the Council for a Livable World/Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and Friends Committee on National Legislation. Monica graduated cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in Political Science and International Peace Studies. Amy Jo Moore Amy Jo Moore is a Senior Engineer at Northrop Grumman in Strategic Deterrent Systems. She has supported the US Nuclear Triad Mission for 17 years. In her current role, she is responsible for supporting the future planning and program design for missile programs along with owning requirements, architecture, and holding our engineering teams to the highest level of engineering rigor as a Chief Engineer. She has held multiple roles at Northrop Grumman including Chief Engineer, Design Engineering Director, Strategic Planner and Systems Engineer. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Ohio University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Utah State University. Cami Pease Cami Pease is currently the Acting Deputy Assistant Deputy Administrator for Strategic Materials Production Modernization at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In this role, Cami supports six NNSA programs that are working to modernize and operate the technologies, facilities, and processes that produce the nation’s tritium, uranium, lithium, and other strategic material supplies for weapons systems. Before coming to NNSA, Cami spent seven years with the Government Accountability Office, including a one-year detail with the Senate Armed Services Committee. Cami graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and later earned a Master of Arts in Security Studies from Georgetown University. Blake Stone Blake Stone is an Army Civilian (Career Program 60) Strategic Planner. He serves as Homeland Defense Policy Analyst within the Strategic Initiatives Group, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), the Department of War’s lead counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) organization. His policy portfolio includes Golden Dome for America, Missile Defense Review matters, and domestic C-UAS policy and authorities relating to protection of nuclear weapons and NC3 capabilities. He serves as the JIATF’s representative to the Operational Resilience Action Group (led by the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War (Nuclear Matters)), and the 2026 Nuclear Physical Security Summit. Blake is a Ph.D. candidate in International Relations at Salve Regina University, where he is completing his dissertation on the impact of Russia’s threatened use of nuclear weapons during its war with Ukraine upon contemporary notions of deterrence, crisis stability, and escalation management. Additionally, he holds a J.D. from Northern Illinois University and master’s degrees from the Army War College and Naval War College. He is an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Seminar XXI program, the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in National & International Security program, and the Syracuse Maxwell School’s National Security Management Course. Andrew “Drew” Suchanek Andrew “Drew” Suchanek (Senior Member, IEEE) served as a combat medic in the Army after high school where he earned a Purple Heart, an Army Commendation with Valor, and other medals during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He then received the B.S. degree in Applied Mathematics and the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Engineering from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA, in 2013, 2013, 2017, and 2018, respectively. Since 2017, he has been with Sandia National Laboratories, where he has led multiple ASIC developments for various high consequence systems. He is the technical lead for various Environmental Sensing Device ASICs, including a configurable one, and the Principal Investigator for developing a Radiation Hardened Asynchronous Paradigm and automating and accelerating the fail-safe verification process for both FPGA and ASIC implemented designs. His research interests include rad-hard ICs and memories, secure and reliable FPGAs, and asynchronous digital circuits. Maggie Tennis Maggie Tennis is a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Strategic Stability and Extended Deterrence Affairs. She has served overseas at Embassy Seoul and the U.S. Mission to NATO, working to advance U.S. extended deterrence to allies. Prior to joining State as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF), Maggie worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense on nuclear deterrence and nonproliferation. She also held past positions at the Brookings Institution, Arms Control Association, and Princeton Writing Center. Maggie’s writing has been published in Slate, Lawfare, the Baltimore Sun, DefenseOne, and The National Interest, among others. She received a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University and a Bachelor’s from Brown University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude. Nora Updegrove Nora Updegrove is a Foreign Affairs Officer in the State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation, where she serves as part of the Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs team and works on U.S. policy pertaining to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and related issues. Her previous State Department experience includes serving as a Special Assistant in the Office of the Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security, the Special Assistant to the Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Nonproliferation, an officer in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation’s Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, and a Political Advisor at the U.S. Mission to the UN. Nora served as the Executive Secretary for the U.S. delegations to the 2026 NPT Review Conference, the 2025, 2024, and 2023 NPT Preparatory Committees, and as the Deputy Executive Secretary for the 2022 NPT Review Conference. She has a Master’s degree in International Security Policy from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s degree in government from Georgetown.